[Westheim]

There was a whole flurry of strong relief pitchers on the free agent market, but everything else was a bit harder to get this winter. The Raccoons were really into a starting pitcher and a center- or rightfielder. The latter should bat right-handed to help keep things balanced a bit.

Meanwhile we had a surplus of catchers, with four of those on the 40-man roster, and three of them were no good.

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November 27 – The Raccoons flip 32-yr old C Travis Owens (.266, 15 HR, 68 RBI) to the Aces for 23-yr old OF/1B/2B Sandy Sambrano (.286, 3 HR, 73 RBI).
November 28 – The Bayhawks take ex-DEN 3B Javier Rodriguez (.300, 36 HR, 356 RBI) on a 3-yr, $4.06M contract.
November 28 – The Titans shore up the back end of that old bullpen, adding ex-WAS CL Tommy Wooldridge (54-44, 2.41 ERA, 199 SV) on a 3-yr, $4.86M contract.
November 28 – The Indians deal C Richard Speed (.299, 11 HR, 72 RBI) to the Stars for OF Jaylen Napoleon (.285, 2 HR, 20 RBI) and a third-rate prospect.
November 29 – Former Raccoon SP Jong-hoo Umberger (58-32, 3.10 ERA) signs a 2-yr, $424k contract with the Crusaders.
November 29 – Former Indian LF/RF Dave Graham (.293, 187 HR, 793 RBI) signs with the Miners. 32 years old, Graham will earn $10.56M through his age 36 season.
December 1 – Rule 5 draft: 12 players are taken over two rounds. The Salem Wolves draft 22-yr old AAA 2B Jason Bergquist from the Raccoons.
December 1 – The Bayhawks shell out $12.4M to sign 31-yr old LF/RF Jose Gomez (.326, 76 HR, 516 RBI) for five years. Many question the prudence behind the signing for the ‘hawks, as the former Blue Sock’s injury log fills a phone book, with chronic shoulder and elbow problems regularly landing him on the DL.
December 1 – LF/RF Don Cameron, 27, gets picked up by the Canadiens (.308, 32 HR, 421 RBI) after splitting the 2011 season between the Bayhawks and Capitals. Cameron is going to make $13.2M over five years.
December 1 – The Capitals get back at the Titans and sign 35-yr old LF/RF/1B Gerardo Rios (.264, 274 HR, 1,031 RBI) for two years at $2.64M.
December 1 – The Buffaloes pick up the Pacifics’ former closer, Risto Mäkelä (33-36, 2.53 ERA, 130 SV). The 32-year old right-hander is going to earn $3.66M over three years.
December 2 – This should make the Crusaders’ pitching staff so much better: New York adds ex-DAL SP Paul Miller (158-90, 3.70 ERA) to a 5-yr, $13.2M contract. Miller was the 2006 World Series MVP.
December 2 – The Falcons are excited over the addition of 32-yr old ex-SAL SP Max Shepherd (101-74, 3.37 ERA), who parlays winning the FL ERA title in 2011 into a 5-yr, $14.6M contract with Charlotte.
December 2 – The Wolves also fail to resign their other top free agent, as 1B/2B Alberto Rodriguez (.296, 68 HR, 481 RBI) hooks up with the Capitals for $11.76M over four years.
December 5 – Former Indian SP Bob King (107-89, 3.71 ERA) signs with the Thunder. The 28-yr old right-hander will make $15.8M over five years.

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Thank goodness – no more slams off Nick Brown by that crummy Speed guy!

Bergquist was part of the Morales/Carmona deal. He was so terrible in AAA after the trade that I considered it impossible for him to be picked. There had even been room on the 40-man roster. Oops.

Sambrano is the type of super utility player we haven’t had for a while. As a batter he’s not all that much – he has never filled out his 6’3’’ frame as that career .286 average consisted of 87% singles and in ’11 he had 15 extra base hits among his 123 base knocks – but he can play almost anywhere on the field, even some shortstop. The only positions he hasn’t been tasked with were third base and catcher. What’s more, he’s a dangerous base stealer, swiping 34 bags in 2011. He is also a switch-hitter.

He is certainly not an All Star, not now and not in three years, but considering that Travis Owens’ value on the roster had trended towards zero since the trade for Dylan Alexander, the Sambrano trade is tremendous. I would also dump Tom McNeela, but he at least has an option left. Yet, the offseason is dark and full of horrors…

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Also below, the Hall of Fame ballot. It’s the second-to-last year of eligibility for players that weren’t inducted pre-2004 under the Secret Ninja Committee’s rules. Also for the first time there’s a player on the ballot that would be inducted as a Raccoon although I despise him monstrously.

… and I’ve been working too much and slept too little this week and I am just out of words right now…….